High school teachers cutting extracurriculars By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Extracurricular activities -- from help for students after school, evening concerts, afterschool clubs and extra-curricular sports -- are grinding to a halt in local public high schools. Earlier this week, the Halton District School Board (HDSB) notified parents it is postponing its high school sports schedule for next week, Dec. 10-14, as a result of new sanctions by teachers. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF), which represents more than 2,000 members in Halton, has cut all extra-curricular activities. Prior to this week, the OSSTF had participated in a stoppage of administrative duties. On Monday, the union announced it has added new sanctions. According to a letter sent Tuesday to parents of high school students by David Euale, the local public school board's director of education, the new OSSTF sanctions include members arriving to school only 15 minutes early and leaving immediately afterward and not participating in any extra-curricular activities. These sanctions may impact students receiving extra help after school, evening concerts, after-school clubs and extra-curricular sports. As a result, the board has also postponed next week's sports schedule. "This measure is required because of the involvement of other schools in the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association (HSSAA)," said Euale's letter to parents. Other event cancellations will be communicated to parents and students by individual schools. In Halton, OSSTF represents full-time and occasional secondary school teachers, office and clerical staff in both elementary and secondary schools, professional student services sanctions have only recently been communicated to school boards and OSSTF members," wrote Euale. The director has informed parents he will keep them updated as information becomes available. Parents can also stay up to date by visiting the board's website at www.hdsb.ca. In the public board's elementary schools, Euale also informed parents this week that elementary teachers who belong to the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) will be in a legal strike position Thursday, Dec. 13. The ETFO has warned the public of a possible rotating strike action that would affect school boards this month. The union has committed to giving parents 72 hours notice prior to striking. In Halton, the ETFO could provide parents with a notice of strike action as early as Dec. 10, three days prior to their legal strike date. The local ETFO members include classroom and occasional teachers and early childhood educators. Again in elementary schools, holiday concerts have in many cases been moved from evening to daytime performances. ETFO units across the province, that have come into strike positions earlier, have already begun work-to-rule actions. Such actions began on Monday (Dec. 3) at Thames Valley and Ottawa-Carlton school boards and Saturday (Dec. 1) in Upper Grand. Bearing an overwhelming mandate to strike by its members, the EFTO has come out with word of rotating strike and work-to-rule action after Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten responded to threats over a strike by saying the province will use tools contained in Bill 115 to order teachers back to work in the event of a strike. 3 · Thursday, December 6, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTO / @halton_photog Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) members joined other educators in protesting at Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn's constituency office in Bronte earlier this fall. personnel, psychologists, speech pathologists and social workers. Education workers are protesting the province's Bill 115 (Putting Students First Act), which froze their pay, cut into benefits and took away their local bargaining rights. "The Halton District School Board is committed to maintaining positive relationships with our students, parents, staff and the broader community and ensuring the safety of our students throughout this job action. 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